Magamba Africa

Magamba’s Africa programming has three streams (digital media, arts and civic tech, campaigns) that aim to empower young Africans to demand a society with radically participatory democracy, free media, a sustainable creative sector, and a just & green economy.

Our flagship digital media projects include: 

The Open Parly Africa project –  The Open Parly Africa project has rapidly spread on the continent and currently has operations in Zimbabwe (Open Parly ZW), Zambia (Open Parly ZED), Nigeria (Open Parly Nigeria) and Somalia (Kalfadhi.com). – is increasing young people’s access to government data & empowering them with important information. The project was nominated at the African Digital Media Awards 2022 as one of the continent’s leading media platforms for Best Audience Engagement. Open Parly Africa provides grassroots movements with real-time access to parliament and council information. Through its civic tech initiatives, dashboards and API, the project has created Africa’s largest network of Parliament and government data. Open Parly ZW reaches over 12 million impressions per month on Twitter and its team of committed young citizen journalists covers more Parliamentary sessions than even the national broadcaster, ZBC.

Open Parly is an initiative of Magamba Network that seeks to strengthen youth engagement and participation in Parliamentary processes.  The Open Parly Africa project has rapidly spread on the continent and currently has operations in Zimbabwe (Open Parly ZW), Zambia (Open Parly ZED), Nigeria (Open Parly Nigeria) and Somalia (Kalfadhi.com). Open Parly’s innovations have received global attention with its powerful Twitter Spaces discussions being officially recognised by Twitter for curating inclusive platforms and being an initiative which seeks to “increase public access to parliamentary affairs in Zimbabwe” and at the same time for hosting a panel discussion to address the pros and cons of mandatory voter registration in Zimbabwe. Open Parly ZW – with a Twitter audience of over 200,000 young people – was nominated at the African Digital Media Awards 2022 as one of the continent’s leading media platforms for Best Audience Engagement. Open Parly Africa provides young people and grassroots movements with real-time access to parliament and council information. Through its civic tech initiatives, dashboards and API, the project has created Africa’s largest network of Parliament and government data. Open Parly ZW reaches over 12 million impressions per month on Twitter and its team of committed young citizen journalists covers more Parliamentary sessions than even the national broadcaster, ZBC. The success has spread on the continent as Open Parly ZED in Zambia inspired the national parliament to start live streaming its sessions, Open Parly Nigeria is now running across 4 states in Africa’s most populous country while Kalfadhi in Somalia has developed a niche for engaging young Somalis on critical political issues in a country that is hugely dangerous for journalists. Our latest addition to the family is Open Parly Uganda. Open Parly Africa has shown its power to engage young people, to adapt to local contexts and to drive progressive policy change.

In 2011, Magamba launched Zimbabwe’s first-ever political satire show, Zambezi News, which reached tens of thousands of Zimbabweans locally as well as making international news with features on Amanpour (CNN) as well as a Channel 4 (UK) documentary about the show.  Magamba’s satire expertise also extends to Zambia, Kenya and South Africa where it has helped to support brand new satire productions through its Africa Satire Network. Magamba most recently launched its new Kenya – Zimbabwe satirical webseries on corruption entitled Let Me Show You – produced in partnership with Transparency International Kenya.

Green Media Accelerator…

Campaigns: Def Law, AU Campaignathons, Toxic Energies. We focus on the powerful (states and big corporations) – demanding progressive policy changes for a just and green society

On the civic tech side of things, our team runs virtual hackathons across the continent. In 2020, we ran an Africa-wide hackathon to build the continent’s first Covid funds tracking platform. We also run hackathons for civic organisations in Kenya and Uganda in order to help them build tech around key human rights and freedom of expression issues.

Finally – in the arts sector – we run the Creative South Network, a network of some of Africa’s most innovative hubs. The network was co-founded and hosted by our Moto Republik hub. Creative South exists to support alternative narratives, to grow new audiences, to amplify co- learning between hubs and to build new touring networks in the region. The Creative South members include Moto Republik, Mafalala Museu, Anima, Modzi Arts, Gilbert’s House and Creatives Garage.

Networks

Magamba is also part of various key collaborations in Zimbabwe, African and the globe.

 Content ZW

Climate Alliance ZW

CHARM

CTAP

CTIN

In Place Of War

Landscapes of Hope